


The Harrison Home

by freewritingseer



Category: The Harrison Home
Genre: F/F, F/M, Gen, M/M, Multi, Original Characters - Freeform, Original work - Freeform, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-14
Updated: 2015-04-14
Packaged: 2018-03-22 19:59:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3741778
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/freewritingseer/pseuds/freewritingseer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Years in the future, the world is governed by that of a single corporation, one that is capable of slaughtering thousands without batting an eye, all under the claim of 'peace-keeping'. Normalcy is no longer an abstract concept. It has become an enforced law. And each passing day, another glimmer of hope is snuffed out.<br/>But as another generation concludes its reign of hatred, one woman emerges from the unknown. She has decided to take the leap of faith, in hopes of creating a world without fear. Not only for herself, but for the children.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Harrison Home

**Prologue**

The air was still as the hour grew later and later, the only pulses within the high-security facility were that of its highest ranking official and another unknown to him. As he sat smugly in his swivel chair within his office on the highest floor, looking down through his full-wall window at the world his family had worked hard to create, Edward Miller was deaf to the footsteps of his undoing coming ever closer.

His desk phone rang, cutting through the silent air with a blast of noise. He grimaced, but answered it; his new secretary had already gone home for the night. "Hello?"

"Yes, is this Mr. Miller?" the voice on the other end was that of a woman.

"Who is this?" he asked.

"I believe we spoke a while ago, a couple days at most. Amelia Harris from Midland U?" the woman answered.

"Ah yes, Miss Harris," Miller grinned upon recalling his previous call with her, "good for you to call, I had completely forgot to inform you that the board has agreed upon your internship here. Your training will begin in a few days time."

"Oh, that's very good news, Mr. Miller..." Amelia answered. "But I had received a call shortly after our conversation telling me that I had been accepted. And I was told to come here as soon as I could in order to start my training."

"What?" Miller's brow creased. "Who called you?"

"I believe she referred to herself as Sharon," Amelia said, "would that be your secretary?"

"Ah..." Miller placed a hand over his mouth pensively. Sharon had been his previous secretary. It had been discovered she had been part of a cult, and he couldn't afford having his company's name soiled, so he got rid of her, permanently. "She may have been my secretary at the time, but she's no longer with us now."

"Was she discharged?" Amelia inquired. "If so, perhaps she had called me with incorrect information in order to spite you."

"That's certainly a possibility..." Miller muttered, though he knew that couldn't be true. "Where are you now? Are you here?"

"Actually, yes." Amelia answered. "There was no guard and the lights were still on, strangely, so I just let myself in. From the directory I know your office is up on the top floor, but none of the doors are marked..."

"Just a moment, I'll let you in." Miller said, and promptly hung up the phone. He got up and rummaged in his pockets for a moment to retrieve a small key. Unlocking his top drawer, he pulled out a silver revolver. This situation was suspicious, much too convenient for this Miss Harris to just be brushed off as unfortunate coincidence. Besides, how could a basic secretary like Sharon have known the outcome of a board meeting that hadn't even happened yet? Unless...

Miller paused in thought, the metal of the revolver cold in his hands. If that Sharon had some sort of future sight... well it certainly wouldn't be the first time he'd heard such a thing. His family had dealt with many 'gifted' individuals in the past; their extermination was their claim to fame after all. Keeping the world safe from such monstrosities. To think he had one right under his nose! That bitch probably took him for a fool because he never noticed! His grip tightened around the revolver before he proceeded to drop it back into the drawer. No matter, one less nuisance to sully the world with their unfair advantages. But that Miss Harris... poor thing, she must be absolutely confused. With a smile, Miller walked up to the door, opening it and looking out into the hallway. A curvaceous young woman stood a short ways away, holding a suitcase and a purse.

"Why, did you carry that all the way here?" he asked, getting her attention.

"Oh!" Amelia raised her head to meet his question. "It's quite alright, I rushed here as quickly as I could so it actually isn't that heavy."

"You poor thing." Miller beckoned her to the room. "To think that Sharon fooled you like that. Had I known, I would've discharged her sooner. This must be such an inconvenience to you."

"Oh no, not at all!" Amelia said, promptly joining him in his office. "It's an honor to get to work with you, Mr. Miller. I had to make sure I met your expectations."

Miller let out a short laugh, closing the door behind her. "Now that's what I call dedication! I adore that about people, and it will surely get you far in this company, Miss Harris."

"Amelia is fine, sir." she said quietly, carefully putting her suitcase down next to a large and bulging filing cabinet. 

"Ah, I was just being polite." Mr. Miller said, returning to his desk. "I wasn't sure if you would be comfortable with me using your first name right off the bat."

"Oh, well," Amelia chuckled, "I'm not exactly used to being called Miss. I think it's a little too formal, even for my age." 

"Your age?" Mr. Miller repeated, before remembering her original profile. "Ah, that's right, you haven't even reached 30 and already so far into your career. It's actually quite impressive."

"Oh, not really." Amelia waved it off, taking a few steps towards the window. "I think I just made all the right choices. With the right knowledge, anyone could have easily done the same." She stepped forward until she was only a few inches from the window, looking down to the world as it was covered by night, only a few dots of light reminding her of the lives that existed below.

"This view is amazing." she said. "I can imagine you could see the entire city during the day."

"That I can." Mr. Miller nodded, joining her at the window. "There's nothing like gazing upon the city and its people. Knowing that all my family and I have done has helped them live their lives in peace."

"Yes, I've read everything available regarding your family's feats." Amelia nodded, moving towards the desk to check something in her purse. "It's amazing how far you've come. It must have taken many years of time and patience and... sacrifice."

"Indeed." Mr. Miller nodded. "I had heard many stories from my grandparents about their grandparents before them. There's so much history in my work, I'm glad to be able to continue it."

"I hope I'll be able to contribute to your successes once my training is over." Amelia said, rejoining him at the window. "Do you by any chance know what I'll be doing?"

"Ah, yes, the board gave me a list." Mr. Miller said, going and sitting at his desk. He looked into the top drawer and immediately noticed his missing revolver; he paused in his movements, glancing back towards Amelia, who stood looking out the window. "Er, actually, I may have forgotten it in my desk at home. I'll relay it to you when I find it, how does that sound?"

"Sounds like a plan." Amelia said, turning around. "But I think I have an idea as to what my training will entail."

"Really now?" Mr. Miller asked, closing the top drawer and standing. "What do you think?"

"I think it'll take a lot of time, and a lot of work," Amelia began, taking slow steps away from the window and around to the front of Miller's desk, "I may not understand certain things at first, but I'll learn as time goes on. I'll do my best not to make any mistakes, and I'll try to fix any that I do, in hopes that the fruits of my labor will be something I can be proud of."

"I'm sure that whatever you strive to do," Mr. Miller said carefully, "you'll do sufficiently. I can tell you're one to...to do well."

"Thank you, Mr. Miller." Amelia smiled, pulling the silver revolver from her purse and cocking it. "I'm a little proud of my work ethic, really. I always finish what I've started." 

Miller swallowed hard. "What are you doing here, Amelia?"

"I'm here with a project in mind." she answered. "And you have information that I need."

"What information could I possibly--?" Miller's mouth ran dry. Amelia smirked. "Why would you want that?! What could you possibly do with it?!"

"I can do the same thing that I did in order to get where I am now." she said, striding closer to the desk, arm firmly in place to hold the revolver steady. "And I'll ensure that the many innocent lives your family has destroyed will be given another chance."

"What innocent lives?!" Miller shouted. "Those people are _freaks_! _Monsters_! Dangers to society!! To even consider bringing them back is _insanity_!! Just who the hell do you think you are?!!" Grabbing a fistful of his hair, Amelia slammed his head down onto his desk. After shouting more in surprise and pain, Miller brought his head back up, only to have the barrel of his revolver shoved into his mouth. She grabbed his hair again in order to keep him from moving away.

"I am Amelia Harris." she said. "And I am your worst nightmare."

_BANG_.

~

After nearly 40 different tries, Amelia had finally come to the most favorable of outcomes for her mission. The timing, the setting, and finally the deed itself had gone almost flawlessly.

As Miller now lay crumpled on the floor, Amelia strode over to the filing cabinet that stood solemnly on the other side of the room. In this age, rarely anyone used paper anymore, so the presence of it seemed arbitrary, but it meant that something was either in it or around it that led to the information she needed. Once she ruled out the materials within it, she clutched the sides of it and gave it a hard shove to the side, quickly revealing a small compartment underneath. 

"Here we go." Amelia huffed, crouching down to pry open the compartment. With a click, the cover popped off, and under it was a single black USB. "Old tech for an old geezer." Carefully, she pulled the USB from the compartment and into the palm of her hand. Pulling a thick disc from her purse, she plugged the USB into a port in the side, causing the disc to light up, and soon a holographic display appeared. Instantaneously, file after file on each and every one of the Miller family's victims was brought up before Amelia's eyes. As they sped across the small display, Amelia vaguely counted the number of children that made up the list. She could easily say they made up around 80% of the victims. It made her stomach churn.

Once the initial scan was completed, she tucked the two items back into her purse, and shoved the cabinet back into place. Looking back to Miller's desk, she checked on the body one more time, before going through the drawers. She couldn't find anything else of value to her. So with tossing her brown hair back over her shoulder, she grabbed her belongings and took her time walking out of the building. No one was around; the world was quiet. 

Many would view her deed as a crime, but she knew of a great number of others out there that could finally sleep again now that Miller was no more. It was for those people that she took a man's life. And if her project went smoothly, it wouldn't be the last.

Because in order to be prosperous, there must be sacrifice. As much as she hated to admit it, that much she knew was true.

~

Amelia walked down a few blocks before calling a taxi. She had a special place in mind in order to make her way to the next step of her plan. The one place that never changed: the county park in the next town. Its historical significance kept it untouched for the past several hundred years, which made it perfect for its intended purpose; a safe location for her to take a leap. Specifically, a time leap.

She had discovered it early on in her life, her ability to time travel, when at first hours repeated, then days. When she was thirteen, she began to try to do it consciously, and the more she got the hang of it, the more ideas filled her head. She could fix all her mistakes, make all the right decisions that ultimately led to the perfect life for herself. And that's what she did.

Until she interrupted herself.

In her original timeline, she made herself the perfect life. She married, had children, and lived peacefully, with no fear of being hunted like many of the other 'gifted' people in the world. She had the ability to be hidden as a normal woman. A normal woman with the luckiest of breaks. 

But in her interrupted timeline, when she was thirteen and beginning to understand her abilities, her future self visited her, and encouraged her to take a different path. As a regular housewife to her two beautiful kids, the future Amelia had began to look into the possibility of others having the same ability as her. Was she looking for someone to confide in? She never said.

And what she found was sickening. Miller Extermination Corps., one of the largest corporations in the world and known for its shady dealings in unsolved murders and kidnappings, was responsible for the deaths of anyone with unique abilities or strange mutations. They went out of their way to hunt them down and eradicate them, even if they posed no threat. Most of which, as she now confirmed, were children. Children that, like her past self, were still learning. Just because they had powers or strange forms did not automatically make them evil or monsters. Amelia believed that if they were taught, or given the chance to understand what they could do, they could be beneficial to society. 

So she passed this idea to her past self, giving her a list of things that would make it possible for her to go back and change the future. Of course, her past self was adamant, saying that it wasn't fair that her future self had the perfect life and she would never experience it if she changed the past. But her future self pleaded her case.

Which would she rather live in? A world where she had to be afraid, or a world where she and hundreds of others could be free? This wasn't just for herself, but for all the young children she had read about. She reiterated a dream her past self had had when she was very young; that she wanted to do something with her life to help people and do good things.

"I am the result of the ideals you have for yourself." she said. "But now you can be the result of the dream you've had for so long. You can do good things by giving others the chance to do good things, those others being kids that never had the chance to prove themselves. Kids like you... You can do amazing things Amelia; don't let your talent go to waste."

It was at that moment that Amelia's original future self began to disappear. The past self had made her decision. And now, fifteen years later, Amelia has completed part one of her many-part plan. 

~

When the taxi pulled up to the park entrance, the taxi driver gave Amelia a weird look before dropping her off. It was past two in the morning and she was stopping at a park with a suitcase in hand. If that didn't look shady, the driver didn't know what was. Regardless, he said nothing, and drove away as Amelia made her way into the lines of well-kept bushes and trees. 

The night air sent a shiver through her spine, and she moved her purse to the arm carrying her suitcase so she could close the top of her jacket with her free hand. The Autumn season had been getting colder and colder as the years wore on, especially at night. She picked up her pace to her designated leap spot. As a woman who specialized in time, she hated wasting it.

While the park was filled with paths and brick-lined roads, Amelia had since found a small area that was detached from the rest, off to the far side of the park and near the river. She chose that as her leaping spot. The bricks were worn to drab reds and grays, and were arranged in a patterned circle. Dusting away the fallen leaves with her boot, Amelia stood in the direct center of the circle. She took a deep breath, and looked up to the crescent moon that stood off center in the sky. 

The year she stood in was 2273, and Amelia knew the moment she leapt away, it would be a long, long time before she saw this era again. Everything she needed to do was in the past, and she had no idea how long it would take to finally achieve her goal. 

Gripping her luggage tightly, she jumped as high as she could into the air, and as her momentum shifted down, she could feel the air around her begin to warp. Looking ahead, she could see the world phase away into a blur of color and a cold wind. A soft ticking echoed through her ears, and she closed her eyes, focusing on that one key moment ten years ago. Those saddened eyes, that soft violet glow as they told her of the blood that would inevitably be on her hands...

"Edwin..."

"Amelia?"

~

After gaining control over her ability, it was very rare that Amelia could be surprised by something (though she could easily act like she was). But when that little voice called out to her, she was at first bewildered, but then pleasantly surprised. "So you stayed..."

"Amelia!" the little boy in question exclaimed, dropping his lunchbox and running up to her. He clung to her long jacket, burying his face in the fabric. Amelia put down her things in order to crouch to his height and give him a hug.

"I didn't think you'd stay after I left." she said. She was going to say more, but she quickly noticed he was crying. "Oh Edwin."

"I don't want you to go!" he sobbed, still clutching tightly to her jacket. Large tears rolled off his cheeks, leaving dark spots on the bricks under their feet. He hiccuped and sniffed, and Amelia couldn't help but smile, her own eyes beginning to water. She had missed him terribly.

"It's okay, Edwin." she said, wiping his tears off his face. "Remember? You told me yourself that we'd see each other again. And look, here I am. After all this time..."

"All this time? What do you mean?" he asked, rubbing his eyes. 

"Look." Amelia said, standing up and spreading her arms wide. "Don't I look different?" Edwin nodded and she returned to crouching. "That's because I'm ten years older now." His beautiful violet eyes lit up amidst the last of his tears.

"You came back?"

"Of course I did." Amelia smiled. "I've finished the first part of my plan. And I couldn't just leave you like this. It wouldn't be right."

Edwin's staggered breaths faded as he processed what she was saying, and he wiped at his face with his sleeves. "You... you mean it?"

"Course I mean it!" she answered. Her hands dropped to his small shoulders and her grip tightened, though only slightly. "What kind of person would I be if I didn't say a proper goodbye?"

Edwin looked crestfallen at that. "So you're still gonna go?" Amelia nodded, and he looked even more so, staring down at her knee almost guiltily. "I don't want you to go..."

"...I don't want to go either." Amelia said; Edwin's head jerked up to meet her eyes in surprise. "I don't know what I'm getting into or what's going to happen... I'm scared that I'll mess up somehow and make things worse... And I don't want to leave you or your mom or my family..." 

At this moment in time, Amelia is now twenty-eight years old. And here she crouched before eight-year old Edwin Chance, voicing a fear that she had never wanted to admit. Her own tears finally fell, as she held on to his shoulders for dear life. 

"But at the same time," she fought to control her breathing, "I want to make things better for you. You and all those other kids on that list that never had a chance to live..."

"List?" Edwin echoed, and Amelia pried her grip off his shoulders in order to rummage through her purse to find the USB and scanner. Edwin looked at the USB with a confused sort of grimace. He knew what it was, but it was 2263, he had only heard about it through his advanced placement history class. He silently took it from Amelia's hand and turned it over a few times in his palms; then he proceeded to plug it into the scanner. 

Instantly, the scanner ran through all the files on the USB a second time. Edwin stared intently on each passing profile, taking in the names and faces that flashed by. Amelia did the same on the other side of the projection, still crying quietly and shaking her head.

"So many wasted lives..." she whispered. "Some even younger than you..."

Edwin was quiet, and continued to stare as the last of the files flashed by. And once the last profile skimmed across the small holographic screen, Edwin reached up and pressed a couple fingers to the screen, preventing it from automatically closing. He scrolled through the files slowly, taking in all the faces in the preview images for a second time. As he did so, his violet eyes began to shimmer and glow, an effect of his ability. 

Little Edwin Chance could be considered something of a fortune teller. He could not see the future, or determine any details, but it was the overarching expanse of his foresight that was the most defining aspect of his talent. It had been a long time since Amelia had been in the presence of that pensive glow, and she clearly remembered his fortune to her. 

" _Your work will bear fruit, and you will be prosperous. But remember that sacrifices must be made; do not let blood cloud your vision of the future._ "

It had been a fortune that pertained to her specifically, though Edwin could also provide a fortune for a group of people as well. Upon remembering that, Amelia returned her focus to his face. The glow in his eyes had become more intense than before. It was obvious what he was doing.

"Edwin." Amelia tried to grab his attention as she subconsciously wiped her eyes, but he was steadfast in his focus. "Edwin, stop that, you'll give yourself a headache using your power like that."

Edwin stayed silent, going through the rest of the files. He clearly winced as he continued, a throbbing pain rattling through his head. But his grip stayed on the scanner, taut in anticipation of Amelia trying to stop him physically. Amelia started to reach towards the scanner, but then she saw how his knuckles turned white as he grasped it. She didn't know what he was trying to accomplish besides a mass fortune for all those victims, but if he was so intent on it, she didn't have much right to stop him. But she watched carefully. She had seen him overload before, so she could tell when he got near his breaking point. And for someone so young, it was actually pretty high.

A calm wind gently tossed Amelia's hair from one shoulder to the other, and she never broke her watch on Edwin. The glow of his eyes grew stronger and brighter by the minute, until he could barely keep his eyes open.

"Edwin." Amelia said. "You've got ten seconds."

The seconds ticked down slowly for Amelia, as she watched Edwin try to grace his breaking point. He skimmed the last of the files before dropping the scanner and falling back, reaching for his eyes, which were now watering heavily. He whined at the stinging pain as he rubbed his eyes, and Amelia took back the scanner and USB.

"You came close." she said. "But I think we should save pushing your limits for another time."

Edwin tried to answer, but his words tumbled out in a slur. Amelia couldn't help but feel bad, though he consciously did that to himself. Pulling out a small handkerchief from her purse, she passed it to him by dabbing his eyes lightly, and he latched onto it and did the rest. She shuffled over to his side, and rubbed his back carefully. His heavy breathing rocked his tiny frame. 

Within a few minutes, his breathing slowed, and he ceased in rubbing his eyes raw with the handkerchief. He kept his eyes downcast, most likely refocusing his normal sight. He carefully leant onto Amelia's arm, draping the handkerchief on her knee. She reached around and pet his hair gently.

"Feeling better?" she asked; to which he nodded. "...So what did you see?"

"... _I can see light in them_." he said, looking up to her. "... _And while fear is a necessity, it is with facing fear that triumph will look upon them with favor. Though do not expect broken bonds to carry them successfully. It is in tandem with others that those bonds are forged in steel._ "

Amelia said nothing as she processed Edwin's fortune. Triumph will look upon them with favor. Bonds forged in steel. Those words gave her a good feeling. But it was what Edwin said next that finally sealed the deal for her.

"I think..." Edwin adjusted his position so that he was now leaning on her knee, facing up towards her. "I think that means you'll be okay. And... as much as I don't want you to go... I feel a lot better knowing that that's the fortune you've earned." His lower lip trembled as he teared up again. "Just... just don't forget me okay?" Amelia smiled, and ran a hand through his hair.

"Don't worry, Edwin." she said. "I could never forget you." 

~

By the time Amelia managed to get Edwin back home to his single mother Gwen, it was starting to get dark. Gwen encouraged her to stay the night, and while Amelia knew that might put her at risk of hesitating again, she accepted. It had been a long time, for her, since she had last seen the young Miss Gweneth Chance, much less had the privilege of enjoying her home cooking. Amelia could barely remember the last time she had eaten with others. She treasured every last second of that meal. 

After dinner was Edwin's bedtime, and while he was reluctant to leave Amelia's side, the two managed to convince him to go to bed; Amelia would still be there when he woke up. He had her pinkie-swear. She promised him a proper goodbye, and he intended on having her keep that promise to the letter. His tenacity was always something Amelia admired about him. (And she swears he gets it from his mother).

Upon going downstairs with Gwen, Amelia offered to help her with anything she had left to do. In response, Gwen tried to convince her to relax, as it would be her last night in that time. But after a moment, she did mention she had a request of her.

"For Edwin, I mean." she clarified.

"Really?" Amelia inquired. "What do you have in mind?"

"Well, there's no doubt that he's upset with you leaving and all." she answered. "And while I'm sure you've solidified your resolve to go through with your mission and Edwin understands this... I was wondering if you could leave a sort of memento for him. Just a little something that would remind him of you. He's come to rely on you for so much, really..."

"Actually..." Amelia took a moment to locate her suitcase and zipped open one of the front pockets. Rummaging through for a second, she pulled out a considerably flattened white rabbit toy, with a violet ribbon tied around its neck in a bow. "When I was packing my things to leave, I found this..." She returned to Gwen's side with it in hand. "It was mine when I was really little, and I had the passing thought about giving it to him." Gwen absentmindedly reached out for it, and held it in both hands as Amelia continued. "The ribbon reminded me of his eyes. I just wasn't sure if he'd like it..."

"I'm sure he'd adore anything you gave him." Gwen smiled, the melancholy in her voice ringing through Amelia's ears. "I'm just hoping he'll manage to cope with your absence is all... You've done so much... for him... for the both of us." She bit her lips together before reaching a hand up to her eyes, wiping away tears that threatened to fall. "I don't know what would've happened if-...if you hadn't helped us."

~

Amelia's memory flashed back to the first time she had met the two; she was sixteen. At first she encountered Edwin on his own, getting picked on by the local kids. After chasing them off, Edwin thanked her, and pleasantly proclaimed that he had been right; he would not be alone and his safety would be ensured. Upon remembering back now, it was a fortune that would last to that very night, and not even once has it faltered. 

Upon asking what he had meant, Edwin clammed up, mumbling that he would be in trouble if he told her. That raised a red flag to Amelia, so she decided to change the subject in order to learn more about him. Of course, after she introduced herself to him first. She made it a point not to get into trouble with the law or anyone at all, especially concerning children. Eventually, after keeping an eye on him, chatting a bit and buying the two of them some ice cream, Edwin asked her if she could keep a secret.

"Daddy doesn't like it when I tell people." he said. "He says it's really bad. But my Mommy says it's good; she can't tell Daddy that though." Red flags were popping up all over the place from Amelia's perspective, but she couldn't act brashly, that could result in the situation worsening. All she could do at the moment was listen. 

"Mommy calls it a gift." Edwin continued. "When I look at people I can see things. Like some things that can happen but sometimes don't? It can be really general and people think it's weird."

"It sounds kind of like fortune telling." Amelia said. 

"Yeah!" Edwin said. "Some people called it that, but I don't know if that's really what it is."

"Well, from what I can tell," she nodded to herself, "you've got a special gift either way."

"You really think so?" Edwin's eyes lit up. Amelia smiled and agreed, causing six-year-old Edwin's energy and youthful enthusiasm to refuel. Amelia bet that no one had ever said that to him before besides his mother. Then his reaction to support was good, that meant he wasn't too far gone. She could see a lot of potential in him, and that intensified her own resolve to move forward with her mission. Amelia made sure Edwin got home to his family's apartment safely, and briefly met Gwen, receiving thanks from her for watching him. Amelia noticed that she was wearing long sleeves despite it being summer. She didn't comment on it. 

After her first meeting with Edwin, Amelia began to hear some people talking about the new family that had moved into the local apartment complex. She heard mentions of shouting, and occasionally crying, usually after dark. Amelia tactfully entered the conversations in order to get more information, and she easily deduced that that family was the Chance family. She hadn't yet met the man of the house, and from what she heard, she was sure she didn't want to meet him. Regardless, Amelia chose to pay them a visit, if not just to check up on things. 

She didn't realize at the time how lucky she was that she did.

It was early evening that she chose to stop by. When she reached the doorway of the apartment, she found the door open. Swallowing down whatever fear she had, she listened closely, and stepped inside. From the front hallway, it was quiet, but as she stepped further into the apartment, she could hear someone sobbing quietly. She moved quickly to find the source of the crying, only to have Edwin appear behind her from another room. He appeared unharmed, but he was clearly upset and trying to keep himself from crying. 

They found his mother in the other room, slumped in a corner next to the dresser. Amelia called out to her before entering the room, and Gwen was surprised, as well as clearly in pain. Amelia told her she'd explain why she was there later, and proceeded to help her up while dialing the police. It was a clear case of domestic violence, and the most important action to take was ensuring the safety of the victims. The father of the house had left to get something he had forgotten at work, so Amelia took that chance to get the two out of the apartment. 

The authorities arrived quickly and asked them a few questions before Mr. Chance returned, and the moment Gwen pointed him out, they proceeded to arrest him. The court of law had him convicted after Gwen testified with a broken wrist and innumerable bruises on both herself and even some on Edwin, though Edwin's had faded a small degree. Mr. Chance received ten years jail time and a restraining order was scheduled to be enacted for the span of the following twenty years once his jail time was completed. Gwen was to receive unemployment until she healed and found a job. She was only twenty-four. It's been two years since then.

~

"I did what I knew was the right thing to do." Amelia finally responded. "If I didn't help you and things got worse, I wouldn't have been able to live with myself."

"Thank- you." Gwen hiccuped as the tears began to trickle down her cheeks. "I- wish I could repay you- somehow..." Amelia reached up to place a firm hand on her shoulder.

"You don't have to do anything like that." she said softly. "Just continue be good to yourself and to Edwin. Your job is still going well and Edwin's grades are fantastic... It might be much to ask, but... if you could stay safe with Edwin, that much would give me peace of mind for the rest of my days." She swallowed thickly as she could feel herself begin to cry again. "I just hope that... that I can make things better for you, for Edwin, for everyone."

"I have no- doubt you will." Gwen nodded, reaching in to wrap Amelia in a hug. "No matter what- you do, Amelia, I know you'll- succeed." Amelia returned the hug tightly, knowing that Gwen didn't fully understand all that her abilities entailed. 

Amelia had left 8 years younger than Gwen, and returned 2 years older than her. 

~

The remainder of the night had Amelia still thinking about the next step of her plan. The years she spent learning and researching 20th century law and psychology were about to be put to use. And she only had the expanse of her natural life to try and make this work. It was in the 21st century that the Millers began to make their mark in the extermination business, first being pest-control before moving up to legitimate murder, so Amelia wanted to establish her own association in order to counteract their progress. Sure, it would be easier to just murder Miller's ancestor, but she had a much bigger idea in mind. Many of the children she had read about were very young and confused about their abilities. So if she were able to establish a location in which they could be safe and take time to learn about what they could do, she believed that would lead to a much more preferable type of future. 

Sleep graced Amelia's mind with pleasant dreams that night, and once morning came, she faced the day with a smile. Even though she was fighting herself not to cry as she drove with the Chances to her send off spot. It was the same park, the same detached location, this time in the early morning. She gripped the handle of her suitcase tightly as she led the way. Miss Chance held Edwin's hand as they followed. 

Once they came to the clearing, Amelia set down her suitcase and purse in the center of the brick circle pattern. She turned to speak to the Chances, only to have Edwin rush up to hug her around her legs. Had he always been so small?

He hung onto her for dear life before Amelia nudged him off for a hug. She would never forget him, true, but she would miss him like none other. Miss Chance asked her if she wanted her to tell her parents about what she was up to, but Amelia declined. If they came to her on their own accord, then she could tell them, but overall Amelia wanted to keep them in the dark. If just leaving Edwin was taking all her willpower, she would definitely lose if her mother was bawling alongside him. She knew she wanted to do this, she had already come so far and it'd be a waste to just turn back now. 

Finally releasing Edwin from her grasp, she stood up tall, and with a deep breath she turned back to the center of the circle. She took her suitcase in hand and tossed her purse over her shoulder.

"You might want to step back, Edwin." She said, before glancing over her shoulder to him. "You can't get caught in my warp, okay?"

Edwin froze in place, in silent defiance to her request, but complied after a few seconds. He stood next to his mother, gripping her skirt with his small hand until his knuckles turned white. She could tell he was fighting back tears.

Before Amelia could take the chance to jump in silence, she turned to face the two for a few last words. 

"Thank you." she said. "For everything." And before they had a chance to respond, she jumped into the air, and as her momentum shifted down, she could feel the air warp around her.  

This was the start of Amelia's greatest achievement. 

**Author's Note:**

> This is the prologue for my novel concept, The Harrison Home.  
> It's still rough around the edges and I'm looking for every opportunity to get some feedback and improve.  
> So if you who is still reading this feel so inclined, tell me your thoughts; what you did and didn't like.  
> I'd really appreciate it.


End file.
